Cowboys & Navy SEALs

Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

A tremble of excitement ran through Magnolia as she hopped out of bed, traipsed over to the window, and looked out at the falling snow. It was soft and fluffy, like the whole world was covered in marshmallow cream. She chuckled at the analogy. Marshmallow cream? Really? She felt as giddy as a kid. It was Christmas! Tomorrow she would get married to Lucas. Her face flushed thinking about those kisses last night in the atrium. His lips had been so insistent, so demanding. She loved his fire, his passion, his bluntness. He was a cowboy to the core. One thing was certain. Life with Lucas Romeo would never be boring.

Her grandfather was so stubborn. No amount of talking to him would do any good, so Magnolia decided to try a different angle. Her only hope was to get through to Eric Stanford. If she could get him on her side, then she might have some sway with Grandfather. Last night at dinner, before everything went haywire, Magnolia had asked Eric Stanford if she could meet with him at nine a.m. this morning. Eric agreed. It was a little after eight a.m. She’d have to hurry and jump in the shower.

She made a face thinking of Roman. It was so awkward having him here. Roman seemed regretful for what he’d done. Maybe in the future the two of them could be friends, but that’s all they’d ever be. Roman was wasting his time by sticking around. She’d quietly tried to tell him that at dinner in the nicest way she could, but he obviously wasn’t getting the message. Oh, well, Roman was a grown man and could make his own decisions. Magnolia didn’t want to spend any more time dwelling on him. She had much more important things to think about. There was so much to do today. She was meeting with the wedding planner at three p.m. to go over the final details. Prep would start tonight as the decorating crew and catering company began setting up. The wedding was set to take place at six p.m. tomorrow evening. It would be a quaint ceremony with only her immediate family and a few of her grandfather’s closest friends. Before, when she was getting married to Roman out of sheer obligation, Magnolia hadn’t wanted any of her friends in attendance. However, now that the situation had changed, she wished she’d invited Lexi and Lucas’s parents to attend. Maybe she and Lucas could have a wedding reception in Franklin. Yes, that’s what she would suggest! She hurried to the shower so she could make it to the meeting on time.

At five minutes before nine, Magnolia hurried out the door. Lucas’s room was a few doors down from hers. His door was closed. He was probably catching up on his rest. She would meet with Eric and then come back and grab Lucas so they could have breakfast together. She went to her grandfather’s study where she found Eric waiting for her. He was a thick, solid man, built like a linebacker. Eric had handled her grandparent’s estate for as long as she could remember. Her grandparents trusted him implicitly. If she could get Eric on her side, then she might be able to shift the tide.

“Hello,” she began with a warm smile as she stepped up to him and shook his meaty hand. “Thanks so much for meeting with me this morning. I’m sorry to take you away from your family.”

He waved her apology away. “Sophie went to check on her mother this morning. She’s in a care center. We’ll have our Christmas celebration with our grown children and grandchildren at noon. So, no interruption at all.”

“Good.” Magnolia sat down in the same chair as she had the day before. Eric sat where Lucas had been. He crossed his legs and gave her an expectant look.

She clasped her hands together and took in a quick breath before launching in. “I know that Grandfather thinks that I would be better off with Roman, but it’s not true. I love Lucas and want to marry him.” Her voice hitched. “Surely you can see how I feel about Lucas.”

He tipped his head thoughtfully. “Yes, I can tell that you are fond of him.”

Hope sprouted in her chest as her words rushed out. “Lucas is the best thing that has ever happened to me!” Her eyes misted. “I have never been as happy,” she said hoarsely.

He studied her carefully, his lips pinched together. “You have to admit that it looks a bit suspicious that you would break up with your longtime boyfriend shortly before the deadline and then suddenly, you’re in love with some other guy.” He held her with a look. “A guy who knows about your inheritance. A guy who has everything to gain.”

“Lucas isn’t like that,” she stammered. “He loves me as I love him.” She eyed Eric with defiance. “In fact, Lucas doesn’t care about the money. He’s been trying to talk me into giving it all up.” She felt a swell of victory when she caught the flash of surprise in Eric’s eyes.

“Really,” he mused. “That’s interesting.”

She held out a hand. “Here’s the bottom line. I’m marrying Lucas tomorrow, with or without Grandfather’s and your approval.” Her throat felt dryer than a pack of cotton balls as she swallowed. “I hope that you and Grandfather will see fit to approve of Lucas, so that I can get my inheritance, but if not … well, I guess it is what it is.”

“You really do love Lucas,” he said quietly like it was a new revelation.

“Yes,” she exclaimed, laughter catching in the back of her throat. “I do.”

His brows furrowed. “But your relationship with him developed so fast.”

“Yeah, it did.” She crossed her legs and wrapped her hands around her knee. “It came as much of a surprise to me as anyone.” She pursed her lips. “Then again, when you consider that Lucas and I have a long history, it makes more sense.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “A history?”

She rubbed her lips together. “I’ve been interested in Lucas since childhood.” She told Eric the story about how she and Lucas dated after high school. “When we reconnected, things were rocky at first, but then came that magical moment where everything just clicked.” She sighed. “Look, I realize that on paper, Lucas doesn’t seem like he’d be a good fit for me, but in reality, he’s perfect—the only one I want.” A smile waffled over her lips. “It’s funny how things happen.” When her words ran dry, she looked at Eric, hoping against hope that she had managed to persuade him to her side.

“What about Roman? He seems like he loves you very much. It took a great deal of courage and humility for Roman to come here and beg your forgiveness.”

Her insides tightened. “If he hadn’t cheated on me to start with, then there wouldn’t have been any need for him to make amends.”

“If he did cheat.”

Irritation splashed over her. “I know what I saw.” She sucked in a quick breath. She didn’t want to argue with Eric. It wasn’t his fault that Roman was a cheat. Also, this wasn’t about Roman. Even if he hadn’t cheated on her, Magnolia knew now that he wasn’t the one for her. “I suppose it did take humility for Roman to come here,” she acquiesced. “It’s good of him to try and make amends …” Her voice trailed off as she shook her head.

“But?” Eric prompted.

“I never really loved Roman. I know that now.” A smile tugged at her lips. “It’s a funny thing when you find the right one—everything suddenly becomes clear. Now that I’m with Lucas, I realize that what I felt for Roman wasn’t love. I was desperate to fulfill the terms of the trust, so I tried to make my relationship with Roman work, even though we’re not right for each other. One day, when Roman finds the right one, he’ll see that I was right.” A sense of urgency filled her breast. She offered a quick silent prayer, asking for help to say the right words. “If I didn’t love Lucas, would I be willing to give up my inheritance for him?”

Eric stroked his chin. “You certainly make a good case for Lucas.”

Her heart leapt with anticipation as she leaned forward. “Would you please talk to Grandfather?” She held her breath, waiting for him to answer. Her inheritance was hanging by a thread. She would give it up, if necessary, to be with Lucas. But it would be a tremendous blessing if she could have both Lucas and her inheritance. Did she dare hope that she could have it all?

The analytical side of her brain took over. She could see how this must look to Grandfather and Eric. It boggled her mind how quickly everything had developed between her and Lucas. Was she being rash? Warmth flowed into her, almost as if it had come from someplace else. No, she wasn’t being rash or reckless. It was right for her to be with Lucas. In some way she couldn’t fully understand or explain, she knew to the depth of her soul that she was supposed to be with Lucas.

He nodded. “I will.”

Her heart shouted in triumph. “That’s fantastic,” she beamed.

“I’m not sure that I’ll be able to convince Benjamin to change his mind,” Eric cautioned.

“Anything you can do to help would be great.” Elation flowed through her. She was halfway to her goal. Now that she had Eric on her side, she at least had a chance of changing Grandfather’s mind.

When the conversation was over, they both stood. “Thank you for taking the time to listen to me,” Magnolia said sincerely. Emotion rose in her throat as she swallowed. “I really appreciate the opportunity to speak my mind.” She could tell that Eric had really listened to her. It felt good to know that her life was on the right track.

A brief smile touched Eric’s lips. “Thanks for scheduling the meeting. It’s nice to hear your perspective. Lucas is a lucky man.”

“Thank you.” She practically skipped out of the room. She couldn’t wait to tell Lucas the good news! She’d just stepped into the hall when she barreled into Roman.

“Good morning,” he said with a chuckle as he caught hold of her arms to steady her.

She took a step back, extricating herself from his grasp. “Were you eavesdropping on my conversation?” It was interesting how she no longer felt any connection with Roman.

Confusion washed over his face. “Of course not.”

Her spine went ramrod straight. “Why were you standing outside the door?”

“I just spoke to your father. He told me the news about Lucas. He said you were in the study. I wanted to make sure that you were okay.”

Magnolia’s knees went weak. “What news?”

Concern touched Roman’s features. “I thought you knew.” He shook his head, his expression solemn. “I’m sorry.”

“Knew what?” she pressed.

Roman’s face paled. “Lucas left last night.”

Magnolia gasped, her breath leaving her lungs. Her knees buckled as Roman reached to catch her. An acrid hurt surged through Magnolia settling to a cold pit in her core. Her mind grappled with the words. “H—how could he do this to me?” Hot tears stung her eyes. She was vaguely aware that Eric had come out of the study. Her heart pounded out a frenzied beat, sounding like a jackhammer was in her ears.

“What’s going on?” he demanded.

“Magnolia has just learned that Lucas left the estate last night,” Roman responded.

“Left?” Eric boomed. His lips turned down. “Why?”

“I’m not sure,” Roman answered. “All I know is that he’s gone.”

Magnolia’s head burned like it was on fire. How could Lucas do this to her? They’d been planning their lives together. Had he gotten scared of the commitment? Had Grandfather threatened him? A wave of dizziness rolled over her, making her sick to her stomach. “T—there must be some mistake. I—I have to call him.”

“Take it easy,” Roman urged, “let’s get you somewhere where you can sit down.”

She jerked her arm away from his grasp. “No!” she seethed, venting all her rage on Roman. “I need to talk to Lucas now!” She couldn’t think straight. Everything was coming at her too fast.

Roman held up his hands, a wounded look on his face. “Okay. I won’t stand in your way.”

“No one will stand in my way,” she hissed as she stumbled past him and ran down the hall. She went to Lucas’s room and threw open the door. The bed was neatly made, his luggage gone. A sob of panic wrenched her throat. She rushed to her room and grabbed her phone. With a shaky hand, she called Lucas. Despair cut at her insides when it went straight to voicemail. “It’s me.” Her voice broke. “Why did you leave? Call me!” She sent him a text, demanding that he contact her. Nothing. Her brain raced, trying to figure out what to do. She called Lexi. It also went to voicemail. She left a message asking Lexi to call her.

She sat down on her bed. For an instant, she felt disconnected from herself. Then, the scope of the situation steam rolled over her, streaming tears down her face. Anger seared a hot river of fire through her. Why had Lucas deserted her? She’d been willing to give up everything for him—for them. She’d felt so good about the situation. Just now, when she was pleading her case to Eric, the warmth that flowed into her felt like it was heaven sent. Had she completely misunderstood the impressions she was getting? Was she so desperate to find love that she’d refused to see the truth? All her hopes for the future were gone in an instant. Last night in the atrium Lucas had been fighting mad when she came in, but then everything had changed. They kissed. She felt secure in the path they were taking. A snide voice cut into her thoughts.

“I knew he wouldn’t be able to cut the mustard,” Grandfather said.

Her head snapped up. “You did this,” she seethed. At that moment, she hated him. He was cold and unfeeling, so intolerant of anyone who didn’t fit into his microscopically small box of expectations.

“I did nothing except for try and protect the interest of my granddaughter,” he said with a stiff dignity.

Disgust roiled in her stomach making her want to vomit. “You don’t care about me. You never have.”

“Yes, I do care,” he countered. “I know you’re upset, but when you calm down, you’ll realize that Lucas did you a favor.”

“A favor?” An incredulous laugh rose in her throat. “You are unbelievable,” she growled. Her voice broke. “I love Lucas. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” she said hoarsely. “If you weren’t so blinded by your idiotic social class requirements you would have seen that.” She glared at him, wishing her eyes could burn holes right through him.

He lifted his chin, his expression rigid. “When you’ve had a chance to calm down and look at this rationally, you’ll see that I’m right?—”

“Save it!” she barked. She was sick of his snobbery and judgements.

Oscar stepped into the room and placed a hand on Grandfather’s shoulder. “Let me talk to her,” he urged.

Grandfather looked like he might argue, but instead nodded. He turned on his heel and strode out of the room, his shoulders stiff and resolute as always.

Oscar went and sat down beside Magnolia. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

While Magnolia’s father wasn’t demonstrative when it came to emotions, he was thankfully warmer than her grandfather. Ever since her arrival yesterday at the estate, she’d felt more of a kinship with her father. That was probably because Magnolia felt like they had to bond together to stand against Grandfather. Also, her father had been kind to Lucas, treating him like a person with dignity rather than a pariah.

The dam broke as Magnolia began weeping. “How could Lucas leave me?” Her shoulders shook as she gave way to her grief.

Oscar rubbed her back. “I’m so sorry,” he said again. “You’ve only been with Lucas a short time. Your infatuation with him will fade as quickly as it blossomed.”

She turned to her father, a sense of outrage filling her chest. “Do you not know me at all?”

His jaw went slack. “What do you mean?”

Her lower lip trembled as she stared unseeingly into the distance. “For most of my adult life, I’ve floundered, trying to find my place in the world. I went to school, settled into my career. I went through the motions of the life that I was expected to live.” Her voice trembled as she rushed on. “When I was a kid, I had this huge crush on Lucas. Then, shortly after graduating from high school, the two of us went on a handful of dates.” She grunted out a brittle laugh. “I was smitten. I probably would’ve committed to him right then and there, but Lucas wasn’t ready. Fast forward to the present when Lucas and I reconnected.” Her voice hardened. “He’s the most infuriating, bullheaded man that I know.” A sad smile moved over her lips. “When he calls me princess, it’s not a compliment. Lucas is a cowboy to the core. He’s painfully blunt.” Tears blurred her vision. “He makes me want to be a better person.”

“It’ll be okay.”

A black tidal wave of fury engulfed her. “No!” she nearly shouted. “It won’t! Nothing will ever be okay again.”

Hearing the clearing of a throat, Magnolia’s head jerked up. Roman had stepped into the room. Irritation spiked through her. “What do you want?” she demanded.

“I know this is a tough time for you. I’m sorry for what you’re going through.”

“Thanks,” she said mechanically.

“I love you,” he uttered, giving her a plaintive look.

She rolled her eyes. “Roman, please. Not now.”

He held up a hand. “Just hear me out, please.”

She clamped her arms over her chest, her lips forming tight lines.

“Despite everything that has happened, I still want to marry you.”

Her jaw dropped. Was Roman for real? “This is ridiculous,” she muttered.

Oscar caught hold of her arm. “Hear him out,” he urged.

“Fine,” she huffed. “Say what you have to say.” She was cold and empty inside.

“I didn’t know about your inheritance.” Anger flashed in his eyes. “It’s astounding to think that you’re being forced to get married.”

“Yes, it is,” she snapped, surprised and grateful that Roman was acknowledging the unfairness of her situation.

“I’d be lying if I said it didn’t sting to know that you intended to marry me so you could get your inheritance.”

“And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t sting that you two-timed me,” she retorted.

His eyes widened before he pressed his lips together in remorse. “Like I said yesterday, I’m sorry.” His dark eyes brimmed with tenderness. “I know you don’t think that you ever loved me, but I love you.” He gave her a hopeful look. “I’ll love you enough for both of us.”

Her brows furrowed. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way,” she said tartly. She knew from sad experience that no matter how much she loved Lucas, it wasn’t enough. If he couldn’t commit, then they were doomed.

Roman’s gaze held hers. “You need a husband so you can get your inheritance.” There was a tremor in his voice. “I need you. Please, marry me.”

Magnolia had to fight the urge to start laughing hysterically. “This is ludicrous.”

“Think about what he’s offering,” Oscar cut in. “I know you’re upset right now, but do you really want to lose your inheritance?”

Magnolia chewed on her inner cheek. No, she didn’t want to lose her inheritance, but all she could think about right now was Lucas. Her heart squeezed, a wall of tears pressing behind her eyes.

“You don’t have to give me an answer right now,” Roman said. “Just think about it.” A reminiscent smile curled his lips. “We had fun together, remember?”

She gave him a curt nod in response. Roman was a handsome man. She’d been drawn to him once. Could she grow to love him? Everything in her repelled the idea as Lucas’s face flashed before her. Her heart ached. Would the hurt fade? She’d lost Lucas. She didn’t want to lose her inheritance too. “I’ll think about it,” she finally said.

“Don’t think on it too long,” her father inserted. “You’re running out of time.”